LGBTQ+ Australians Three Times More Likely To Suffer Mental Health Disorders, New Study Finds

A new study out of Monash University has found that LGBTQ+ Australians are three times more likely to experience mental health disorders as the rest of the population. 

The study analysed data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics’ 2020-2022 National Study of Mental Health and Wellbeing, and found more than half of cisgender non-heterosexual Australians are diagnosed with a mental disorder. 

Moreover, some 41.3 per cent of cisgender non-heterosexual Australians and 27.2 per cent of transgender Australians reported high or very high psychological distress, compared with 15.5 per cent of cisgender heterosexual Australians.

Ultimately, LGBTQ+ individuals were seen to have up to 3.5 times higher risk of experiencing these acute levels psychological distress compared to the rest of the population. 

Monash Researchers Say The Results Are “Startling”

Lead researcher Dr Bernice Hua Ma, Research Fellow at the Monash School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, was quick to clarify that these findings don’t suggest queerness is intrinsically responsible for psychological distress, but rather that this distress is most likely caused by the societal inequities and stigma imposed upon queer people.

“The mental health disparities identified in this study cannot be understood solely through individual-level factors,” Dr Ma said. “Reducing these inequities will require more than expanding mental health services.

“It will also require tackling the social and structural barriers that undermine the health and wellbeing of LGBTQ+ communities and ensuring that healthcare settings are inclusive, safe, and responsive to their needs.” 

Similarly, Dr Long Le, a Senior Research Fellow in the Monash School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, reflected on the extensive progress that still needs to be made to protect LGBTQ+ mental health and wellbeing.

“These findings were really startling, and show that we still have a long way to go in breaking down the barriers to access and treatment for LGBTQ+ Australians,” Dr Le said. 

“Many LGBTQ+ Australians continue to face stigma, discrimination, social exclusion, and barriers to accessing affirming healthcare. These experiences can have profound and lasting effects on mental wellbeing and day-to-day functioning.” 

Study Author Calls On Government To Heed These Results

Meanwhile co-author Rebecca Smith, from peak body LGBTIQ+ Health Australia, said the study should go on to inform national policy. 

“Governments and service providers must recognise that LGBTIQA+ community-led organisations and lived experience leadership are fundamental to effective mental health responses, bringing the knowledge, trust and community connection needed to achieve better outcomes,” Smith said. 

“It’s also important to understand that these mental health disparities are not an inherent consequence of being LGBTQ+. They are shaped by factors such as discrimination, stigma, minority stress and broader social determinants of health, which means solutions must extend beyond individual treatment and address the systemic drivers of poorer mental health outcomes.” 

You can read the full research paper here: http://doi.org/10.1177/00048674261476859